(Photo credit: Preston Goehring/Scottsbluff Star-Herald)

By Miles Klotz

GERING, NE - Utilizing hits from eight of nine position players and four stellar outings on the mound, the Western Nebraska Pioneers cruised to a 13-1, series-opening victory over the Badlands Big Sticks on Friday night from Oregon Trail Park Stadium, despite a 90-minute rain delay.

The Pioneers (22-10) dazzled on the mound all day on Friday. Although they were unable to earn their first shutout in team history, it started with a fantastic pitching performance from Jonny Petsch, who allowed one earned run on two hits and three walks over six innings, while striking out ten. Logan Gilbertson, Dagin Renck, and Evan Ingram all followed with scoreless innings of relief.

The Big Sticks (18-13) entered the game with one of the Expedition League’s highest-scoring offenses, but were stifled all around, managing just three hits, of which just two were even well-hit enough to reach the outfield. On the mound, Badlands’ Clay Wilson put together his worst outing of the year, being relieved after allowing seven runs (six earned) over 5-plus innings on nine hits, two walks and six strikeouts. Nick Jennings and Joe Smith combined to allow six more runs over three innings out of the bullpen.

The Pioneers got huge days all around offensively, starting with Colin Ludwig, whose two-run home run over the right-center field fence in the third inning gave the Pioneers a comfortable 3-0 lead that they would never relinquish. In the sixth inning, the Pioneers batted around for the second time in three days, helped out by a bases-clearing double from Nolan Metcalf. Metcalf had five RBIs on Friday, while Ludwig (four) and Brandon Bohning (two) also drove in multiple runs.

In total, eight different Pioneers scored runs and eight different Pioneers collected base hits. It was the best all-around offensive performance of the year, and it was more than enough to back a strong night on the mound, even with a 90 minute rain delay pushing back first pitch to past 8 PM.

The two teams will finish off the two-game series on Saturday night at Oregon Trail Park Stadium, with first pitch set for 6:35 PM MST. The Pioneers will have Cal Beardsley on the mound to close out the season’s first half.